Despite what was being echoed on the picket lines last spring regarding lowering international students’ tuition fees, international students may have caught a break this year as the loonie weakens against major currencies.
Among the 5,462 international students enrolled at York as of November 2014, China takes the trophy with 2,597, making up almost half of the international students.
That number is sure to rise next semester as tuition for these students costs approximately 15 per cent less compared to the previous year.
The Chinese yuan is increasing in value against the Canadian dollar and with a full 30 credit course load, international students have to pay approximately CAD$21,419 for the 2014-2015 year. In the previous school year, this would have cost Chinese international students CAD$25,177.52.
“With the 10 per cent that I’m saving on my tuition due to the weak loonie and the spiraling economy, I’m already planning on buying myself a new laptop,” says Harman Badwal, fourth-year kinesiology student from India.
It’s no secret that the Canadian dollar is sinking 20 per cent against the US dollar and with only 131 international students at York from the United States, it may encourage more students from the US to come and study at York in the upcoming semester.
Darren Thai, Contributor
